photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami Area GROCERY STORES and Food Markets Historical Photos Gallery - All Years - click on image to view > 1950's - Shell's Super Store on N. W. 7th Avenue in Edison Center, Miami
previous | next
1950s - Shells Super Store on N. W. 7th Avenue in Edison Center, Miami
1950's Courtesy of George Bluhm

1950's - Shell's Super Store on N. W. 7th Avenue in Edison Center, Miami

5800-5999 NW 7th Avenue, Edison Center, Miami, Florida view map


A big thank you to George Bluhm for contributing this great old image, one that I've wanted to see since I started this section of my site. George says the back of the postcard says "Photograph showing part of the parking lot of the world's largest grocery Shell's Super Store 5800-5999 N. W. 7th Ave. Miami Fla." The postage for the card is one cent. George says he spent many an hour there. So did I, against my will because I hated being dragged along to grocery shop when I was a kid.

Shell's Super Store was one block away from the Center Theatre which was located at 6050 NW 7th Avenue, Edison Center.


other sizes: small medium original
previous | next
comment | share
Bill Sullivan 24-Mar-2013 19:39
Shell's City was a few blocks from our family home at 575 NW 60th St back in the early 50's. Many years of growing up memories involving that grocery store (can U imagine!) My Dad was hard working, but the only breadwinner (that's the way it was back then - women stayed home with the kids). Thus, "Out to Eat" was on a budget, and there were no better deals than the Shell's City in-store restaurant. My Fave? Gotta be the "Fried Chicken Basket w/fries & slaw" for 99 cents! Perfectly done Southern style chicken. Yeah, thats a Blast from the Past, allright.
lisawharry16-Feb-2013 21:54
PS, Jen. would love to help you with parents gift. ggli2001@yahoo.com
lisawharry16-Feb-2013 21:30
I just happened upon this site and words cannot express how touched I am to see somany people who remember Shell's Super Store/ Shell's City/ Shell Lumber Company. N.T. Shell was my grandfather, February 7, 2013 would have been his 123rd birthday. I lost my mother just before Christmas and going through the family relics Grand Dady's been on my mind quite a bit lately. I had really come to think that I was probably the only person left who remembered his legacy. Thank you all for your kind memories.
Jen 12-Feb-2013 01:55
my parents met in Shell's when my mother was a lead cashier. They are having their 50th wedding anniv. Can I get a copy of this picture?
Tim Flaherty 21-Dec-2012 01:25
I grew up in miami beach from 1952 to 1965.That was my Familys friday night grocery shopping store.It was the biggest store I ever saw a child.Loved the little news and comic book store at the corner of the store.Spent lots of dimes in there.That was the good ole days.
Maria 31-Aug-2012 03:54
Oh my God how much I could say...my father Tomas started working there in 1959 till they closed as a baker. My Quinceniera (15) cake was made there my Wedding cake was made there, I remember one of his coworker name was Bill...My mother got herself a 12 piece China service with the serving pieces that I now have. I remember going to dinner there on Sundays my parents my brother and I. My brother first job was as a bag boy there...close my eyes and I remember it like yesterday.
Guest 22-May-2012 15:44
What happened to Shell's City - was it demolished/when?
wendymac19-May-2012 22:11
Remember going with my Grandma for the peanut butter in the sand buckets. I was always afraid to let her or my mom out of my sight for fear I'd get lost in that colossal store.
Don Boyd17-Apr-2012 14:59
Charlie, thank you for posting your memories! Your dad certainly had guts to open a grocery across the street from Shell's and I hope it was successful.

Don
Guest 17-Apr-2012 11:27
What great memories. My Dad opened a grocery store in 1960 right across the street from Shells it was called El Librio. I remember going as a kid to the lucheon that they had like an old drugstore counter with the stools. I would get a kaiser roll which they would open in half and smother it with butter and place it on the griddle . I can still taste that butter 50 years later!. My dad would buy toys and the tree for xmas there. Its great to read the comments and to see this picture. It was really a giant place for its time.
Charlie Vazquez
Don Boyd08-Apr-2012 02:00
Thank you for posting, Jim. You were there in the same years that I was there. As a kid I thought the place was downright humongous and it was compared to regular grocery stores at the time.

Don
Jim Bradford 07-Apr-2012 22:34
I remember visiting Shells back in the early and mid fifty's. Started going there with mother and dad and was amazed at what you could fing. Things like quail eggs, chocolate covered ants and fried grasshoppers. In High School I worked as an usher at the Center theater. Great memories. Thank you for this site.
Don Boyd22-Aug-2011 04:50
And thank all of you for posting your great comments and memories. The more information and anecdotes about these old Miami places the better! I strongly encourage everyone to take the time and post your comments and memories under any photo on the site that is appropriate.

Don
RDComfort22-Aug-2011 04:38
My father, M. D. Comfort, was a commercial refrigeration and AC contractor and Shell's City was his biggest regular customer. Shell's City was an amazing place, probably 10 times bigger than the biggest Publix you've ever seen. I went with my Dad on lots of his service calls there & would go out to his truck to bring him tools. Shell's City had a huge AC system and massive dairy and meat cases. My Dad would frequently get called in the middle of the night if a meat locker wasn't cooling or some other refrigeration equipment wasn't working. He'd hop out of bed and rush to Shell's City like a doctor on an emergency house call.
I worked as a bag boy there while at Edison Sr. High School. I too remember the donut machine, the full service barber shop with several barber chairs, and maybe 10-15 check out lines EACH on the East, South AND West sides of the store. I remember being there at closing and being amazed by the huge sums of money we would collect from all the registers. Also recall the "White" and "Colored" water fountains and the fact that the black customers were consistently the best tippers to the bag boys.
Thanks for reviving very fond memories!
Mary T 16-Aug-2011 19:19
I worked at Shell City ( while I was in High School (Edison Senior High Class of 68.))
I started as a cashier and was promoted to "The Switchboard," and later when the management changed...I was asked to move into a secretarial position....I gave that opportunity up to go away to colllege. (UF) I remember working extra hours during the Christmas holidays wrapping gifts.....especially for the manager's family.
Working there was such a hoot and I made so many good friends. Does anyone remember Julie Rivera, Efrain Ibarra, Vicki Rich, Tony Rodriguez, Tom Gutierrez, etc ........or the Produce Manager, Landon Lewis.??
John T. 01-Aug-2011 01:31
I forgot to mention that the Black customers quite often tipped better than Whites.
John T. 01-Aug-2011 01:18
Well this brings back a lot of good memories. I bagged groceries at Shell City in 1952 it was one of my first jobs.I got fired for talking to the girls at the Donut counter to much.
I shopped there,got my haircuts,ate there,cashed my checks until 1957 when I left for the Airforce.
Guest 31-Jan-2011 16:05
My family would go there on Friday nites. We used to get a T-bone steak with baked potatoes. While my mom shopped my brother and I would pick out something at the Hobby shop - usually a magic trick of some sort. It was so much fun.
WILLIE 13-Nov-2010 07:12
I remember going to Shell's as a child in the 1950's. At Christmas time, Shell's had a HUGE toy display. My parents would leave me to play with the toys while they shopped. I was fascinated by the donut making machine...and also I remember watching "Cracker Jim" broadcast his radio show live at Shell's. His broadcast booth was suspended about fifteen feet above the main floor. I would wave to him., but he never waved back. My parents wouldn't let me drink from the segregated water fountains. We were black. I never got to eat any of the freshly made donuts cuz blacks weren't allowed to sit at the counter and eat. I vaguely remember a sign saying that it was considered a no-no to dunk donuts in your coffee.
Joyce Hargrove 17-Oct-2010 21:12
What wonderful memories that photo evokes! I was born right up the street from there and lived in the same house until about the age of 16yrs. My weakness was the pies...they had 12" pies, pumpkin, custard, pecan...I could eat a whole one!! I remember also the demonstration ladies, sometimes dressed like Aunt Jemima, cooking and served little pancakes. There was always something going on in that store that was fun. Now they had a rival store up on 62nd St. I think it was called Fredricks and they also made the big pies. They put in the first "soda" machines where the cup dropped down and, if you were lucky, the soda filled up the cup. I saw so many mishaps around that machine! My brother worked at the Center Theater and did a lot of standing in front of the theater dressed in whatever represented the current movie...ie A rabbits costume when they showed the movie Harvery. I loved growing up in Edison Center!
Sharee 09-Oct-2010 17:07
Shell's had a bakery and they made fresh donuts. You could watch the match squirt out the circles of batter and they were dropped into a vat of shortening. An employee scooped them out and put them on a conveyor belt and you could get one so hot it burned your hand! But melted in your mouth. You could sprinkle powered sugar or have them dip it in chocolate. My grandfather and I would spend our time sitting at the counter eating those while mom and grandma shopped! It is still such a vivid memory.
Andrew Mossberg 29-Aug-2010 02:00
I got my first haircut here around 1965-66. Somewhere I have a super8 of it. At christmas we usually got our tree here.
Guest 28-Aug-2010 14:55
I came from Cuba in 1955, my parents bought me my fisrt bike at Shell's City. What a great memory!!! I too remember the fountains and bathrooms. Thank God those are now a memory of one of our not best periods.
Don Boyd27-Aug-2010 15:28
I received this great e-mail from Jackie Johnson Cook regarding Shell's City that she granted permission to repost here:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi - I found a photo of Shells City & Tropical Hobbyland in your photos - I've been reading the posts about Shells City - I worked there way back in 1960. I was a cashier there for a couple of years - I named my Daughter Shelley - I worked while I was expecting her & customers would ask if they were going to give me a break when I went into labor! It was an interesting place to work - I have good memories. My son got his first haircut at the barber shop there. I was there when a hurricane knocked out the electric and we hand cranked the registers so we could stay open so people could get supplies. I also worked there when the Federal Wage Laws went into effect- I was making about .80 an hour and got a raise to $1.05. It is good to remember those days! Thanks for the memories!

Jackie Johnson Cook
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
And thank you Jackie for sharing those memories and giving us further insight into Shell's City!

Don
Gus 03-Aug-2010 03:25
Just wanted to correct the years I worked at Shell's City. It was from 1965 to 1970.
Dave D. 03-Aug-2010 02:15
moved to Miami in 1956 from Ma. and Shells was like going to an amusement park .they had everything , extra tent in parking lot for toys at Xmas. also first place I saw separete water fountains and restrooms for colored and white. both older bros worked there while attending Edison
Gus 03-Aug-2010 02:13
I worked at Shell's City from 1954 to 1970. It was my first job ever. I was sixteen and attending Miami Edison at the time. After all these years I still visit Shell's City in my memories and dreams. It made a huge impact on my life. People like Julie Easton, Gus Christensen (he was the best deli - man ever, God rest his soul ), Mr. Slocum, Guido Carvajal, Toby in Produce, Elaine the cashier and so many others that I will never forget. I'd like to get some feedback if possible.
dominick oquendo 09-Apr-2010 22:15
When we first moved to Miami from New York in 1960 Shell's City is where we use to frequent. I remember getting a Kusan Atomic electric train from there on Christmas of 1961. They sure had a huge toy department, as well as other stores. It was like the Walmart of that period, but better.
Dominick
dominick oquendo 09-Apr-2010 22:13
When we first moved to Miami from New York in 1960 Shell's City is where use to frequent. I remember getting a Kusan Atomic electric train from there on Christmas of 1961. They sure had a huge toy department, as well as other stores. It was like the Walmart of that period, but better.
Dominick
Lyle Digby 29-Mar-2010 04:29
Looking at the picture, it is a view of the south entrance. Shell's had 3 entrances, North South and West. I worked at Shell's as a buggy boy at 15 yrs old for 60 cents per hour during the summers(had to have a work permit) At 16 I became a bagboy and made 30 cents an hour I worked my way thru Edison high and Miami Dade Jr. College. As you entered the East side there was a barber shop on the right. The news stand was on the South side. While bagging groceries, I had a lot of "regular"
customers that would wait for me to bag there groceries. I was known as "Double Bag Digby" because I always double baged my regular customeries groceries. Made a 25 cent tip with these customers. This was 1960-64. Marylou was the head cashier. As was said before, Shell's was the early super Wallmart. Lyle Digby
bruce 17-Mar-2010 21:39
My Dad used to take me for the best hot corned beef and pastrami sandwiches that I ever ate.We would go there at least once a week.I remember that they came with a pickle wrapped in white paper and I believe they cost a whopping 50 cents!
Guest 10-Feb-2010 16:56
I worked at Shell City in 1956 while attending Embry-Riddle School of Aviation
Toby Haytock was the manager back then also.
Guest 15-Jan-2010 20:15
Shell City on Sunday for "family" time. I too remember those horrid fountains and rest rooms. I am forever grateful that I had a Brooklyn daddy to tell me how ignorant it was.
Don Boyd25-Nov-2009 04:04
Jeanne, thank you very much for posting your memories and for reminding us of the Edison Center name which I've put on the photo. Please write more if you remember more tidbits like you've written. Thanks!

Don
jeanne ledbetter 25-Nov-2009 01:54
I have a memory to beat all! I met my first love in Shells and i remember all the thing's that you speak of.Howard Pinder,Mary Jo Swan,His girlfriend and big Myrtle in charge of cashiers, Mervin Simons,Dewey McDonald, the Mckelveys.I grew up just west of Shells on 59st and 7 pl,married jimmy Ballew that worked there and across the street at Mobleys gas station,I also worked there as cashier I checked out all the yacht order. My cousin Colleen married one of the owners son name was Nelson McGahey.Which did not last!I will never forget one day I went strutin thru Shells in my short shorts with a nice tan and playboy bunny figure and down at the south end a Guy was building a huge lux bath soap dislay ,I came prancin by and he took my picture in front of the display. I kept that picture for a long time,maybe sold a bar or two of soap! Oh so many memories there and by the way the community was called Edison Center not Liberty City.That was done after we all left. Does anyone remember the Center theatre? and the puritan Ice Cream Parlor, my aunt worked there and she fixed the best hot fudge sunday to be had.
Bob Anderson 24-Aug-2009 16:14
I remember going into Shells with my parents - I loved to watch the donut machine cook up those old fashioned donuts. My older brother worked there also. believe down the street was Fredricks another similar but smaller version of Shells
Bill Sullivan 19-Jul-2009 21:22
Shell's City was a big part of my childhood life. I recall a local "country" station used to team up with Dixie Lilly Hominy Grits (mfg in Hialeah) to sponsor square dancing inside the store - I think on Friday evenings. Little known by those not raised there - Miami at the time was a Deep South town - Florida Cracker's were still a majority. Many residents spoke with thick Southern accents, incl ALL of my grade school teachers at Shadowlawn. Shell's had everything - even a display of exotic snacks (?) that incl chocolate covered ants, canned eels, candied grasshoppers, etc. The restaurant there was great - best burgers & fried chicken baskets in Miami! My only negative memory of that store - the cold water fountains on either side of the same column, marked "White Only" and "Colored".
Guest 02-Jun-2009 14:57
First off Don thank you for posting all the Pictures I sent you. I worked at Shells in 1950 as a bag boy, the normal tip was .05 -.10cents, if we got .25 you were in heaven, one time I got a $1.00 at Christmas. None of the other post have mentioned
"Cracker Jim" that brocasted his Country Music Station from there. Leon Estes
Guest 12-Mar-2009 16:39
So good to see this picture of Shells. My dad was a baker there and we went on Saturdays to get groceries. While my parents shopped my sister and I would spend our $1 allowance at the comic stand. My wedding cake was made there at the bakery.
hernels27-Dec-2008 21:59
This is really cool, We came to Miami in 1953 my grand father I got our first jobs there,he made 60 cents an hour and I made thirty cents an hour plus tips and at the end of the week I brought home more money than him.These are were wonderful times in Miami. Thank s for the memories,
Guest 27-Dec-2008 15:35
What fun and memories I have looking at Shell's Super Store. My father James Parlegreco ran the meat department for many years--until the end. We used to go there at least once a week to pick up our groceries and to visit my dad. He used to take me in the back and show me what it was like to work there. Who knew that then that the area was called Liberty City?? It was a one-of-a-kind of store and everyone in Miami, at one time or another shopped there. Judy
Pat 21-Oct-2008 04:24
I worked at Shell's super store in 1947, at 15 yrs old and my mother had to get me a work permit, I bagged groceries and I think I was paid .30 cents an hour plus tips. I stayed there and rode out a hurricane there, they had a huge aux generator so we had lights and food, we moved all of the checkout stands out of the doors and the bosses drove their cars inside to protect them, we had quite a good time that night.
Randy 12-Oct-2008 07:08
As another poster called it and we did too, Shell's City. I remember going here in the 50s and 60s. I think it ended life as a Gold Triangle. As you went in the store to the right of the doors in this picture was an open air news stand. I spent a lot of time there reading comics. Funny thing, I remember the first issue of Fantastic Four on the racks there. If one had bought that comic and not opened it and just stored it safely, at one time that 10 cent comic was worth close to 1/2 to 1 million dollars to collectors. Strange how I think of that occaisonally over the years.
ileana 04-Sep-2008 20:27
I was just talking to a friend and told her about this store and I called my mom and she didn't even remember!! Very cool memories.
Bob Anderson 26-Aug-2008 21:07
I used to go there with my parents to shop. I loved to go and watch the donuts being made using the automated machine that flips them over.
Don Boyd17-Jul-2008 17:03
Thank you everyone for posting your memories of Shell's - we all appreciate it and of course welcome new comments and memories.

Don
Guest 17-Jul-2008 14:48
Ouida
I walked to Shells with my Dad to buy groceries back in the '40's, before it was a Super Store. In the 50's, after I graduated from Miami Edison, I could buy a side of beef there for 79 cents a lb. I cut it into many different pieces of meet and it would last for six months! Shells was a forrunner to Walmart !! What great memories.
Louis 22-Jun-2008 19:20
Boy, this is a great picture! I remember the fishing section that led to the back of the store. At Christmas they would put up a tent back there full of toys. I LOVED going to Shell's City as a kid. Granted I started going there in 61 or 62, those are my first memories.
Lee Martines19-Jun-2008 03:19
One of the great reasons for a kid to visit Shell's was the booth where a donut machine was operating all day long so that you could buy a bag of fresh, hot donuts at any time of the day. Wonderful memories!
Melody Britt 11-Jun-2008 01:50
My father worked at this store in the early 6o's. He made 65 cents per hour in the produce dept with a mgr named Toby Haytock. I was about 6 years old at that time. I rememeber how big of a grocery store it was. Wow, how it has SO Changed!!
Melody Britt (Bradley Britt was my father 1929-1997) miss him....